FALL-WINTER HABITAT UTILIZATION OF EURASIAN WIGEON AND AMERICAN WIGEON WITH NOTES ON MIGRATION AND HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA H5N1 VIRUS ____________ A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University, Chico ____________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Biological Sciences ____________ by Jeremey Brandon Ashe Summer 2012 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would never have been able to finish my thesis without the guidance of my committee members, help from friends, support from my family and wife, and funding through CSU, Chico and Omicron Theta Epsilon. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Raymond “Jay” Bogiatto, for his excellent guidance, caring, patience, and providing me with an excellent atmosphere for doing research. He developed a passion for waterfowl research in me. In both undergraduate and graduate work he has been a true friend and wonderful advisor. My other advisors, Dr. Miller and Dr. Hatfield I thank you both for your guidance, passion for perfection, and providing me with excellent advice throughout this process. For data collection, I would like to thank the flowing people and organizations. California Waterfowl Association was instrumental in capturing the Eurasian Wigeon. Mike Miller was influential in background knowledge of PTT’s and how to attach them. USGS and CDFG collected my H5N1 swabs. Also, my field crew Julie Shaw, Molly Thompson, and Chelsea Ashe helped with the countless hours of wigeon surveys. I would like to thank Nancy Carter and Neil Schwartz for their statistical analysis support. I would also like to thank my parents, brothers, and grandparents. They were always supporting me and encouraging me with their best wishes. Finally, I would like to thank my wife, Courtney Ashe. She was always there cheering me up and stood by me through the good times and bad. Her support thought this process was priceless. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Acknowledgements.................................................................................................... iii List of Tables ............................................................................................................. v List of Figures............................................................................................................ vi Abstract...................................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER I. Introduction................................................................................................. 1 II. Methods....................................................................................................... 9 Study Area ......................................................................................... 9 Rocket Netting ................................................................................... 10 Platform Transmitter Terminal (PPT)................................................ 10 Screening for H5N1 Virus ................................................................. 11 Computer Tracking ............................................................................ 12 Time Budgets..................................................................................... 13 Behavior Definitions.......................................................................... 14 Nearest Neighbor and Aggression ..................................................... 15 Data Analysis..................................................................................... 15 III. Results......................................................................................................... 18 Habitat Utilization.............................................................................. 18 Migration and H5N1.......................................................................... 23 IV. Discussion................................................................................................... 29 Habitat Utilization.............................................................................. 29 Migration and H5N1.......................................................................... 36 Summary............................................................................................ 39 Literature Cited .......................................................................................................... 41 iv LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 1. Summary of MANOVA Results for Species (American and Eurasian Wigeon), Social Status (Pair and Unpaired), Location 4 (12, 13, and 14), Month (Nov-Feb), and Timeslot (1-5) Comparing the Proportion of Time on Each Behavior (N=842) ..................................................................................................... 19 2. Summary of All Possible Interactions of Species (American and Eurasian Wigeon), Social Status (Pair and Unpaired), Location (12, 13, and 14), Month (Nov-Feb), and Timeslot (1-5) for the GLM (N=842)............................................................................................ 19 3. Two-Way ANOVA Comparing All Behaviors of American and Eurasian Wigeon (N=842 for Each Species)............................................. 20 4. Two-way ANOVA Comparing Percent of Time Spent on Behaviors by Social Status for Wigeon (N= 592 Paired, N= 1,156 Unpaired) .......... 21 5. Two-Way ANOVA Comparing Percent of Time Spent on Behaviors by Social Status for Wigeon (N= 592 Paired, N= 1,156 Unpaired) .......... 28 v LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE 1. PTT Attachment on a Second Year Male Eurasian Wigeon ........................... 11 2. Two-Way ANOVA Results for Percent Time Spent on Behaviors by Location for Wigeon (Aggression P = .11, All Other Behaviors P < .05)..................................................................................... 22 3. Two-Way ANOVA Results for Percent of Time Spent on Behaviors by Timeslot for Wigeon (Feeding P = .76, All Other Behaviors P < .001).................................................................................................... 23 4. Two-Way ANOVA Results for Percent of Time Spent on Behaviors by Month for Wigeon (P < .05)................................................................. 24 5. Summary Data of All the Nearest Neighbor Frequencies and Associated Species That Were Nearest to an American Wigeon (AMWI)..................................................................................................... 25 6. Summary Data of All the Nearest Neighbor Frequencies and Associated Species That Were Nearest to an Eurasian Wigeon (EUWI).................... 25 7. Summary Data of All the Nearest Neighbor Frequencies and Associated Species That Were Nearest to an Eurasian Wigeon (EUWI).................... 26 8. Aggression of Eurasian Wigeon Toward Other American Wigeon (AMWI), Other Eurasian Wigeon (EUWI), Northern Pintail (NOPI), and Other Species (P < .001)26................................................... 26 9. The Capture Site (X), Non Local Migration (Dates), and Location Accuracy 1, 2, and 3 Show the Overall Migration Route of a Hatch Year Male Eurasian Wigeon ..................................................................... 27 10. Pacific Flyway Banding and Recovery/Encounter Locations for All Eurasian Wigeon Banded From 1929-2010 (USGS Bird Banding Lab 2010) .................................................................................................. 37 vi ABSTRACT FALL-WINTER HABITAT UTILIZATION OF EURASIAN WIGEON AND AMERICAN WIGEON WITH NOTES ON MIGRATION AND HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA H5N1 VIRUS by Jeremey Brandon Ashe Master of Science in Biological Sciences California State University, Chico Summer 2012 I studied fall and winter habitat utilization of Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope), and American Wigeon (Anas americana) using time budgets in the Sacramento Valley, California. Habitat utilization by American and Eurasian Wigeon differed only in the proportion of time spent in locomotion and vigilance. Resting, feeding, and locomotion were the top three behaviors exhibited by wigeon (American and Eurasian Wigeon collectively) during each month and in each pond. Increased feeding by wigeon from November through February suggested an increase in their energetic demands. Seasonally flooded wetlands were determined to be an important habitat for wigeon, as feeding and resting were the most common behaviors each month in these habitats. Asymmetric aggressive behavior patterns of Eurasian Wigeon toward American Wigeon suggested these wigeon species may be competing for resources. vii I studied the migration patterns of Eurasian Wigeon and their associations with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus H5N1. One Eurasian Wigeon was equipped with a North Star solar-powered 16g platform transmitter terminal (PTT). I followed this bird’s two-day migration to Central Washington and, subsequently, its daily movements for the final six months of its life. Using a data base of all banded Eurasian Wigeon from 1929 to 2010, a map was constructed showing migration routes, stopovers, and a pattern of winter philopatry. In addition, oral and cloacal swabs of eight Eurasian Wigeon were taken, with negative results for H5N1. viii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Migration routes of waterfowl in North America are thought to have originated during the glaciations of the Quaternary (Ploeger 1968), resulting in the four North American flyways: Pacific, Central, Mississippi, and Atlantic. Though the migration routes of each waterfowl species may vary,